Much has been written and said about Lamar Jackson’s decision not to attend last week’s OTA’s. In the grand scheme of things, it’s probably not that big of a deal that Lamar missed out on an opportunity to chuck it around with his teammates for three days in Baltimore County. What is a big deal is the story within his absence.
It is well-documented how much Lamar covets a Super Bowl ring. He wants it for many reasons, not the least of which is to show the world that he earned it sooner than any of the four quarterbacks taken before him in the 2018 NFL Draft. Of those four (Baker Mayfield, Sam Darnold, Josh Allen and Josh Rosen), only one has landed that second contract (Allen) and the others fall into the category of “fledgling”. Rest assured, Jackson, the ultimate competitor, has taken notice. It fuels his ambition.
.@DeionSanders: What are they getting?@Lj_era8: “Everything out of me, they gonna get a Super Bowl out of me, believe that!” pic.twitter.com/TNDE7s6pY3
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) April 19, 2020
This offseason the Ravens have made many attempts to provide financial security to Lamar for his and his family’s future. But he sidesteps the overtures in the same way he avoids would-be tacklers. He’s been called “Houdini” on the field. And off the field, particularly at the bargaining table, his disappearing act is in full force.
[Related Article: Lamar Says, “I will be there”]
Back in March, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, a man who made his fortune on his ability to read people – let’s not forget he’s in the employment placement business, had this to say about Lamar’s contract situation.
“It’s unique, because everybody expects you to say – I’ve got to get mine now. The kid is so obsessed with winning a Super Bowl, that I think deep down he doesn’t think he’s worthy. I think he wants [the ring] to say, ‘Now I deserve to be on top.’ I don’t think he is turned on by money that much and he knows it’s coming one way or the other.
“People can speculate any way they want. But I don’t talk to Lamar. It’s not my role. What are you going to do with a guy who wants to be unique? You don’t browbeat him into being a conformist.”
A conformist would have an agent. A conformist would probably have signed a new deal by now. Lamar is anything but. That said, refraining from OTA’s, no matter how you look at it, doesn’t get him closer to being a Super Bowl winner and his absence from OTA’s comes off as counterintuitive. If Lamar genuinely wants his production during the coming season to speak volumes while contemplating a new contract, then join in during practice, despite their voluntary nature.
It’s important to develop that chemistry with a young and unproven posse of wide receivers; it’s important to get in synch with the rookie center; it’s important to develop a rapport with the new running backs, particularly at the mesh point in an RPO-driven offense.
Granted, it was just a few days of practice and should Lamar participate in future voluntary workouts this week, all will be forgotten. But with each “optional” workout that Lamar passes on, he also passes on an opportunity for the team to get better – to take another step towards the ultimate prize that he covets.
I get that in part, him staying at home is a business decision. But business, COVID, injuries and losing all seem to have zapped some of Lamar’s youthful enthusiasm, that boyish exuberance that was once so obvious, so captivating and so contagious. Here’s hoping that he returns to form – the form that earned him a unanimous MVP in 2019.
The form that had him willing to volunteer.
John Harbaugh didn't have much to say about Lamar Jackson's absence today at #Ravens OTAs but his teammates did. @MarkWJZ has their reaction coming up on @wjz at 5! #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/vfX9DsvIUP
— WJZ Sports (@WJZ13sports) May 25, 2022
